Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned into (a) changing patterns of licences granted under legislation subsequent to the Clayson report and (b) any correlation between changes in the licensing regime and increasing levels of alcohol abuse and alcohol-related disease during the 1990s.

Cathy Jamieson: There has been no research commissioned on those topics.

Ambulance Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of ambulance provision was for the Vale of Leven Hospital catchment area prior to 1 October 2003, showing the number of vehicles and crewing levels; whether any increases have been made to this position to reflect changes in service patterns since that date and, if so, by what level.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is primarily an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. I know that the Scottish Ambulance Service has been in discussion with NHS Argyll and Clyde about the implications of the changes to clinical services at the Vale of Leven Hospital and I understand that funding has been secured for extra ambulance resources. I have asked the general manager of the Scottish Ambulance Service’s south west division to contact you with the details.

Cancer

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it, or NHS Argyll and Clyde, will take to restore and enhance the breast cancer service at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: As a temporary measure, until the vacant surgical post at Vale of Leven Hospital is filled, patients who require surgery for breast cancer (approximately three or four per month) will have their operations at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. All other breast services, out-patient clinics and operations for benign breast problems, will continue to be provided at the Vale of Leven Hospital, fully supported by a multi-disciplinary clinical team including specialist nurses.

Civil Service

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are applied when dispersing civil service jobs.

Tavish Scott: Relocation decisions are based on a range of factors. These include costs, quality and efficiency of service, socio-economic factors such as unemployment and other indicators of deprivation, availability and suitability of staff, transport issues, environmental considerations and the position of staff and the individual requirements of the organisation concerned.

  All parts of Scotland are considered when relocation opportunities arise. No areas of the country are favoured and none are ruled out.

Council Tax

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the results of the consultation on council tax for second homes and its response to the consultation will be published.

Tavish Scott: We are giving careful consideration to the responses received to the consultation on council tax for second and long-term empty homes.

Economy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2779 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 September 2003, how it will know whether it has achieved its goal of raising the quality of life in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: The answer given to question S2W-2779 noted that The Way Forward: A Framework for Economic Development in Scotland describes the overarching strategy within which more detailed policy programmes take place rather than describing detailed measurable targets. There is no single indicator that can be used to measure the quality of life. The partnership agreement sets out a comprehensive set of priorities and commitments, progress against all of which will improve the quality of life in Scotland.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search..

Economy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2782 by Mr Andy Kerr on 30 September 2003, whether it will publish its input to the Allsopp Review, including any recommendations made to it or Her Majesty’s Government in respect of regional inflation indicators.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has no plans to publish its contribution to the Allsopp Review, however it will be made available on the Treasury website, in due course, as part of the Allsopp Review reporting arrangements.

  One of the key messages from the Scottish Executive was that there is a clear need to recognise the new environment in which we are producing economic statistics, both at the UK and at the sub-UK levels, and to identify what is required in order to monitor and deliver Government commitments within the various levels of central and devolved government. We also identified several areas where there are gaps in regional economic statistics.

Economy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2785 by Mr Jim Wallace on 7 October 2003, why it does not intend to undertake an assessment of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s five economic tests.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Chancellor’s five economic tests relate to the UK economy and the decision on whether to recommend UK entry into the European Monetary Union (EMU). This decision is a reserved matter, and therefore a matter for the UK Government. The UK Government will only recommend UK membership of EMU if it considers it to be in the national economic interest. The Secretary of State for Transport and Scotland represents Scottish interests in the UK Government.

Enterprise

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with Her Majesty’s Government regarding the sale of Motherwell Bridge

Mr Jim Wallace: There have been no discussions with Her Majesty’s Government regarding the sale of Motherwell Bridge and currently there are no plans to do so.

  My department is in contact with both the company and the local enterprise company and will continue to monitor the situation.

Enterprise

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect the interests of any workers affected by job losses following the sale of Motherwell Bridge.

Mr Jim Wallace: My department is in contact with the company and the local enterprise company to monitor the implications of the restructuring at Motherwell Bridge and the sale of the main operating divisions to MB Engineering Solutions and any support which may be appropriate.

Enterprise

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage businesses to locate in Clydesdale, given its strategic location for access to the M74.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire is taking action in line with the direction and priorities set out in the Executive’s A Smart, Successful Scotland . This sets out the foundation for sustained improvement in economic performance in Scotland. It focuses on three key challenges for raising productivity:

  Growing businesses

  Global connections

  Learning and skills

  Provision of information on programmes and projects is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

  In terms of inward investment, potential investors are pointed to a range of sites which reflect their requirements.

Enterprise

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, or plans to have, with Her Majesty's Government about the impact on local people of the implications of the sale of Motherwell Bridge for current employee pensions and former employee pensioners.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has had no discussions with Her Majesty’s Government regarding this matter. My department is in contact with the local enterprise company and the company to monitor the implications of the restructuring at Motherwell Bridge.

Environment

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of any delays to the salvaging of the cargo from the wreck of the Jambo , whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government to ensure the salvage operation is completed before winter.

Allan Wilson: The member will be aware from media reports on 16 and 17 October that the Jambo has completely capsized. I am advised that its cargo is now lying on the seabed under the vessel and in its immediate vicinity and that it is no longer practicable to continue to recover it. As a consequence the salvage operation has come to a close. The site is now subject to environmental monitoring, involving the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Fisheries Research Services (FRS), which will continue over the winter months.

  The Scottish Executive had been fully involved in the salvage operation through the environment group which was established immediately after the Jambo sank on 29 June. Scottish ministers have been kept constantly informed of progress. I am satisfied that all practicable steps were taken to recover as much of the cargo as possible as quickly as possible, allowing for the unique and extremely difficult circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident. In the light of that, and of the most recent events, the Scottish Executive has not made, and has no plans to make, representations to Her Majesty’s Government.

Farming

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why, with regard to the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme, it has not adopted the suggestion from NFU Scotland for a uniform pro rata reduction of payments by the percentage equivalent to the total reduction in funding available for the scheme; what the rationale is behind its new proposals, and what consultation it had prior to introducing these proposals, with whom and when.

Ross Finnie: The arrangements for the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) for 2004 are still under discussion with the European Commission. An announcement on these will be made as soon as possible.

  The arrangements for the 2004 scheme have been discussed within the LFASS industry working group, which includes representatives of NFU Scotland, the Scottish Crofting Foundation and the Scottish Landowners’ Federation.

Firearms

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths occurred in each of the last three years as a result of gunshot wounds.

Hugh Henry: There were 19 such deaths in 2000, 12 in 2001 and 16 in 2002.

Further and Higher Education

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the extension of the provision of further and higher education in Lanarkshire.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive set out in its Framework for Higher Education how it is working with the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) and the higher education (HE) sector to ensure that those who have the talent and potential to succeed within HE are enabled to do so, wherever they live or whatever their circumstances. Specifically in Lanarkshire, Bell College was designated as a higher education institution (HEI) in 2001 and was allocated £8.984 million for the academic year 2003-04 through SHEFC. In allocating an additional 340 funded places to help tackle geographic concentrations of low levels of participation in HE in 2003-04, North Lanarkshire was one of the four local authority areas that were targeted by SHEFC.

  We outline in Further Education In Scotland 2002 how we have helped develop the further education sector. We are committed to ensuring that further education opportunities are accessible by everyone no matter where they live or their personal circumstances. We have delegated to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) the duty to secure adequate and efficient provision of further education in Scotland. We expect SFEFC to allocate budgets to individual colleges, and offer other support and guidance, in a way which takes account of that duty.

  Scottish Executive publications can be found on the Executive’s website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/publications

Health

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on use of, or referral to, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners by GPs.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive believes that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions. A GP may refer a patient for CAM if, in his or her clinical judgement, it is appropriate. The GP remains responsible for the patient’s medical care. NHS boards may provide CAM from the unified budgets made available to them by the Executive, based on their assessments of local needs.

Health

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether GPs can refer patients to osteopaths or chiropractors and, if so, whether the costs of the treatment will be met by the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: A GP may refer a patient for osteopathic or chiropractic treatment if, in his or her clinical judgement, it is appropriate. It is open to NHS boards to fund such treatment from the unified budgets made available to them by the Executive, based on their assessments of local needs.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure compliance with the Scottish Medicines Consortium recommendations that fusion inhibitors are available in the treatment of men and women with HIV.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice from the Scottish Medicines Consortium and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

  Any evidence that suggests that NHSScotland was not taking account of this advice would be followed up proactively by the Scottish Executive Health Department.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scots infected by HIV have been found to be resistant to one or more of the treatment agents in use by the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: UK drug resistance monitoring data suggest that the prevalence of HIV drug resistance in patients, whose treatment was failing, was 79% in 2002-03. This rate has not changed substantially since 1996.

  According to the same data, the prevalence of drug resistance in patients who are newly diagnosed and not yet on therapy, i.e. those who have acquired a drug-resistant form of HIV, was 21% in 2002-03. This rate has increased from 10% in 1996.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether research has been completed, or is in the process of being conducted, into the levels of respiratory diseases in the local communities living in close proximity to opencast coal mines, and whether the results of any such research will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has considered reports on two separate studies on The Acute Effects of Air Pollution on the Respiratory Health of Children in West Glamorgan (1997) and on Do particulates from opencast coal mining impair children's respiratory health (1999), produced respectively by the Welsh Combined Centres for Public Health and researchers from the University of Newcastle. On the first of these, the committee concluded that the report did not support the assertion that asthma was more common in an area close to the opencast coal mine under study. On the second, the committee concluded that the respiratory health of children living in communities close to opencast sites was very similar to that of children living in communities distant from such sites.

  The results of these studies are openly available and there are no plans to place them in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Health

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the full costs to NHS Argyll and Clyde were of ministerial intervention in the board in 2002 and, given the deficit facing NHS Argyll and Clyde, whether it will take responsibility for any costs arising from its intervention.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Argyll and Clyde has assessed the full costs of intervention as being £300,000. The costs were met by NHS Argyll and Clyde with a contribution of £147,000 from the Health Department.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that patients with macular degeneration eye conditions have the same access to the newer "dynamic" treatments for this condition, regardless of which part of Scotland they live in.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why my constituent Mr R Ritchie, Peterhead, has been asked to pay over £1,000 before the NHS in his area will give him dynamic therapy for his occult form of macular degeneration and whether this charge is consistent with the aim of ensuring that patients throughout Scotland enjoy equal access to the same free treatments.

Malcolm Chisholm: While I am unable to comment on any individual case, I expect that where a treatment has been recommended by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and clinical need can be demonstrated then it should be provided.

  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently recommended photodynamic therapy (PDT) for age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) in some circumstances. NICE has recommended the use of PDT for a group of people with "wet" ARMD who have a confirmed diagnosis of classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation (CNV), with no sign of occult CNV. Individuals should also have at least 6/60 vision.

  Consideration was not given to the use of PDT in occult CNV associated with wet ARMD as at the time the photosensitising agent used in the therapy was not licensed for this condition.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NQIS) has stated that this advice is as valid for Scotland as it is for England and Wales. NHSScotland takes account of advice and evidence from NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and provides funding to ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

  The NHSQIS advice can be found at the NHSQIS website, www.nhshealthquality.org

Higher Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning received any guarantees at the Berlin Conference of European Ministers in charge of higher education on 18 and 19 September 2003 on the importance of recognising national frameworks.

Mr Jim Wallace: The European ministerial conference was held to review the progress being made towards the implementing the principles of the Bologna Declaration. Forty countries are now committed to this process, which recognises the need for diversity and flexibility. This is reflected in the text of the Berlin Communiqué agreed at the conference.

Higher Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the statement in the general report of the Bologna follow-up seminar in Athens that "it is clear that tuition fees can form severe access thresholds" and whether it will review its graduate endowment scheme accordingly.

Mr Jim Wallace: Tuition fees can be perceived as an impediment to accessing full-time higher education courses. That is precisely why we abolished tuition fees for all eligible Scottish domiciled and EU students undertaking a full-time higher education course in Scotland since autumn 2000.

  The Graduate Endowment is not, however, a deferred tuition fee. Many of those who are eligible to receive free tuition will not have to pay the endowment. There are therefore no plans to review these arrangements.

Housing

Mr Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary question to question S2O-536 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 2 October 2003, whether it will clarify the statement that "if we can resolve the issue through planning guidance, we will do so" ( Official Report , col 2338) in regard to zoning land specifically for affordable housing.

Mr Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary question to question S2O-536 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 2 October 2003, whether it will provide an explanation of the "issues around competition between private and public housing" ( Official Report , col 2338).

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Current planning guidance on land for housing is contained in Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 3 Land for Housing , published in February 2003.

  We will publish further good practice advice on how the planning system can contribute to affordable housing, to follow on from SPP3. This advice will be published next year. The need for advice on the particular issue of zoning land specifically for affordable housing will be considered as part of this work. We envisage that this will include issues such as the availability of land and the roles of the public and private sectors.

Housing

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will identify (a) new registered social landlords (RSLs), (b) new RSLs formed from merged RSLs and (c) social landlords who have been de-registered for any reason other than merger since the enactment of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Ms Angiolina Foster, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The following Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) have been registered since the enactment of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001: Balmore Housing Association; Capital City Homes; Castlemilk Tenants Housing Association; Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership; Glasgow Housing Association; Great Western Tenant Partnership; Homes for Life Housing Partnership; Hillhead Housing Association 2000; New Shaws Housing Organisation; Port Glasgow Housing Association; Scottish Borders Housing Association; Tenant Controlled Housing; Tenant Managed Homes (Drumchapel); The Moray Housing Partnership; Waverley Housing; West Lothian Housing Partnership.

  The following new RSLs have been formed from merged RSLs since the enactment of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001: Oak Tree Housing Association; Fyne Homes; Spire View Housing Association, Ayrshire Housing.

  The following RSLs have been deregistered for reasons other than merger since the enactment of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001: Abbeyfield Strathgryffe Society; Grampian (Southern) Housing Society.

Housing

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have submitted local housing system analysis returns to Scottish Homes or Communities Scotland in each of the last three years; which returns identified (a) housing needs figures due to household formation, (b) unmet need among existing households and (c) particular housing needs and, in each case, what shortfalls were identified by local authorities.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: There is no statutory requirement for local authorities to either undertake a local housing system analysis or to submit a return to Communities Scotland. As such the information requested is not collected by Communities Scotland.

  Local authorities have a statutory duty to submit local housing strategies to the Scottish Executive when required to do so by Scottish ministers. The Minister for Communities has asked for these to be submitted by April 2004.

Housing

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the evidence given by Mr Andy Kerr to the Finance Committee on 30 September 2003, why the £53 million end year flexibility (EYF) from the Communities portfolio was not returned to Communities Scotland for the development of affordable housing.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Communities portfolio received an allocation of £25 million end year flexibility in 2003-04, which met requirements across the portfolio. The EYF allocation was less than the underspend because the Treasury agreement to meet debt breakage costs following housing transfers freed up resources in the Communities budget which were not therefore required.

Justice

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2604 by Hugh Henry on 26 September 2003, whether speeding offences detected by speed cameras and dealt with directly by courts or through fixed penalties are included in the overall number of traffic offences recorded by the police and how many fines have been imposed for speeding offences detected by speed cameras in each of the last three years.

Hugh Henry: Offences recorded by the police include speeding offences detected by speed cameras. Figures for all speeding offences in the last three years are as follows. However, the information held centrally does not separately identify those offences detected by speed cameras.

  

 
 1999
 2000
 2001


 Conditional offer fixed penalty 
  notices 
 104,479
 101,961
 108,897


 Fines imposed by Courts
 14,623
 11,597
 10,318



  Notes:

  (i) Some offences may appear in both rows if the fixed penalty notice was not paid.

  (ii) Figures for 2002 are not yet available.

Justice

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2649 by Hugh Henry on 29 September 2003, when guidance was last issued to procurators fiscal regarding the treatment of cases involving the misuse of controlled drugs.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: Internal guidance, including that relating to the treatment of cases involving the misuse of controlled drugs, was issued to Procurators Fiscal in July 2003. Internal guidance issued to Procurators Fiscal is confidential and is kept under review by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

Learning Disabilities

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how quality of (a) support and (b) social care for people with learning disabilities is monitored.

Mr Tom McCabe: In the first instance those commissioning services should monitor and evaluate the quality of the services they provide, to ensure they meet their intended aim of meeting the needs, and contributing to the well-being, of users

  The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care inspects all services regulated under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 against the relevant National Care Standards issued by Scottish ministers. The Standards describe what each individual person can expect from the service provider, and are used to monitor the quality of care services.

  The Social Work Services Inspectorate also has the task of evaluating the quality of social work services in Scotland. It does this by undertaking inspections or reviews of different aspects of social work services, and by producing an annual report on social work services in Scotland.

Local Government Finance

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the revenue received by each local authority is council tax.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on net income by source for 2003-04 is contained on page 16 of the CIPFA Rating Review Estimates of Income and Expenditure 2003-2004 , a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 29256).

NHS Funding

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding was awarded to NHS Argyll and Clyde to assist the implementation of the recommendations of A Clean Bill of Health? and how this additional money was spent, broken down by geographical location.

Malcolm Chisholm: As part of the Audit Scotland review process on hospital cleaning, NHS trusts in Argyll and Clyde agreed action plans to help them meet the recommendations. Spending on these plans is a matter for NHS Argyll and Clyde but progress is monitored by the auditors. The Scottish Executive has not allocated specific funding for cleaning services but the overall allocation to NHS Argyll and Clyde has increased by 7% on average over the last three years. This is additional funding of £76.9 million.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address bed blocking in the NHS.

Mr Tom McCabe: The delayed discharge action plan we launched on 5 March last year set out a range of short- and long-term measures designed to reduce the number of people whose discharge from hospital is delayed. Since then, this number has been substantially reduced.

  In the current and each of the next two years we are backing the action plan with £30 million additional investment for local authority and NHS board partnerships. Local joint action plans outline targets for reductions in the number of delayed discharges in each partnership by April 2004. We are monitoring progress centrally.

Organ Donation

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2588 by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 September 2003, who the Scottish Transplant Group consulted in developing its Organ Donation Strategy for Scotland and how many groups and individuals took part in the consultation exercise.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Transplant Group canvassed views from a number of sources in developing its Organ Donation Strategy for Scotland , including Dr Richard Simpson, who was at that time preparing a report to the Health and Community Care Committee on the issue of organ donation. The strategy was circulated to various groups representing patients’ interests, all NHS boards and trusts, the Royal Colleges in Scotland, the British Medical Association and health professionals involved in transplantation.

Organ Transplants

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2586 by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 September 2003, how many Scottish residents have been on the Newcastle waiting list for a lung or heart and lung transplant in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information is set out in the following table,

  

 Year
 Lung and
Heart/Lung Transplant


 1998
 11


 1999
 19


 2000
 14


 2001
 15


 2002
 16


 Total
 75



  Source: UK Transplant.

Prison Service

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2594 by Cathy Jamieson on 26 September 2003, whether the practice of "slopping out" in prisons is acceptable; when the practice will be brought to an end, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when "slopping out" at HM Prison Barlinnie will end.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service accepts that "slopping out" is an undesirable practice and is committed to ending it as soon as possible. However, it will be some time before slopping out can be ended completely. The most realistic time that slopping out can be ended is about a year after the completion of the second of the two new prisons that were announced by the Executive on 5 September 2002 as part of its decisions on the prison estates review. A firm date cannot be given because a number of variable factors are involved; including future trends in prisoner numbers, issues affecting the timescale for completion of the new prisons such as the obtaining of planning permission, and the need to make arrangements for decanting and moving prisoners to allow existing accommodation to be improved.

Prison Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what further action is planned to modernise HM Prison Barlinnie following the recent report on it by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland.

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to modernise cells in ‘A’ hall in HM Prison Barlinnie with particular regard to the supply of electricity.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service hope to be able shortly to proceed with upgrading A Hall following the successful upgrades of B, C and D Halls, involving upgrading of the ablution areas and the installation of in-cell sanitation and electric power.

Prison Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners at HM Prison Barlinnie are serving short-term sentences.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  559 as at 10 October 2003.

Prison Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is carried out on prisoners at HM Prison Barlinnie who spend long periods of time in their cells.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Staff have regular contact with prisoners at morning ablutions, meal times, recreation, exercise, visits, canteen and where it still exists slopping out times.

  Prisoners can request to see SPS Healthcare staff and are subject to assessment as part of the SPS suicide prevention strategy.

Prison Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what rehabilitation programmes are ongoing at HM Prison Barlinnie.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  HMP Barlinnie offer the following programmes:

  

 Programme


 Cognitive Skills


 Anger Management


 Problem Solving 


 Lifeline


 First Step


 STOP

Prison Service

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many remand prisoners "slop out" at HM Prison Barlinnie.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  13 as at 10 October 2003.

Regulation of Care

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it and its agencies spent in total on the regulation and inspection of care services in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: No information is held centrally on the cost of the local authority and health board regulation and inspection regime in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. However, the total costs of the Care Commission’s operations in 2002-03 were £19,544,900, excluding severance payments, referred to in the answer given to question S2W-2946.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search..

Schools

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides any guidelines or guidance to local authority education departments regarding the closure of schools.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has not issued specific guidelines or guidance to local authority education departments regarding the closure of schools. We expect authorities to take account of integrated issues as set out in the joint Scottish Executive/COSLA school estate strategy. The Education (Publication and Consultation Etc)(Scotland) Regulations 1981 set out the legal framework on consultation on school closures, and guidance on those regulations was issued to authorities in 1981.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who the directors of Scottish Water Solutions Ltd are.

Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:

  Chairman:

  Geoff Aitkenhead, Scottish Water

  Directors:

  Chris Banks, Scottish Water

  John Bennett, Scottish Water

  Mike Edwards, United Utilities

  Bruno Speed, Morgan Est

  Tony Collins, Gleeson

  Graham Mallett, Thames Water

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what alternatives to the establishment of Scottish Water Solutions Ltd were considered as a means of improving efficiency in the delivery of Scottish Water’s investment programme.

Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:

  An assessment was made of the capability of the existing capital delivery model to achieve the required capital efficiency. It concluded that the status quo was not a viable option to deliver the required capital efficiency in the available timescale. Having decided not to use the inherited delivery models, the options available revolved around outsourcing or partnering. There were emerging trends around outsourcing that indicated that the real, or perceived, loss of control is unacceptable to customers. In addition, there is significant evidence of risk "bounce back". The ultimate reputation risk is carried by the client. Scottish Water’s focus was therefore on the creation of the most effective and efficient partnering arrangement. Scottish Water initiated a consultation exercise to explore the alternative means of delivering the capital programme. A range of delivery models were identified, five in number. Thereafter comments were sought from external parties who had no vested interest in the chosen model and the final delivery model established.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what open, transparent and competitive mechanism was undertaken before Scottish Water chose to establish a joint venture with UUGM and Stirling Water, rather than with other companies.

Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:

  A comprehensive selection process was implemented, complying with European procurement legislation, which ensured a competitive environment existed for the duration of the process

  Selection Process:

  Ojec Advert, April 2002 – 17 Expressions of interest received.

  Pre qualification questionnaire – reduced number to 10.

  Consultation phase – Discussions with 10 bidders and the industry as to the optimum delivery model for the procurement of the Capital Programme. Agreed to Integrated Partnership with two Consortia and Scottish Water.

  Implementation Process – Stage 1 Consortia number reduced to five.

  Implementation Process – Stage 2 Detailed tender process including cost models, scenarios, on site reviews, commercial financial arrangements, capital programme verification, presentations and interviews (incl. several board members), business plan submission, assessment centre.

  Clarification Process – Intention from the above was to reduce number to final two. However, to achieve flexibility and best fit, i.e. two consortia and Scottish Water, further clarification was sought, this included, management fees, staff levels, incentive mechanism, use of engineering trading unit and contract services and assessed before the final two were presented to the board on 29 Jan 2003 for approval to proceed to the next stage.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how Scottish Water will ensure that it will get best value from its relationship with Scottish Water Solutions Ltd.

Ross Finnie: I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water to respond. His response is as follows:

  Processes have been established to ensure Scottish Water (SW) maintains a governance role and ensures Scottish Water Solutions are delivering the programme and projects, within the programme, for best value. Benchmarking of projects will be carried out to assess solutions targets against industry best practice again to ensure best value is being achieved.

  SW continues to assume full responsibility for the capital programme

  SW has established a mechanism for controlling the spend on delivering the capital programme.

  Capex approval process, mirrors SW’s process, and ensures approval of the cost of individual projects is on the basis of best value.

  Key performance indicators have been established and will be monitored by Scottish Water.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered inviting the Auditor General for Scotland to examine Scottish Water’s PFI and PPP contracts to determine whether they represent best value.

Ross Finnie: Audit Scotland discusses a wide range of issues with the Executive, and we are aware they are considering whether to examine lessons that might be learned from capital procurement in the water industry.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what actions are being undertaken by Scottish Water to manage domestic and industrial water demand better.

Ross Finnie: As set out in the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002, Scottish Water must, in exercising its functions, act in the way best calculated to contribute to sustainable development. Sustainable management of water is also a requirement of the European Water Framework Directive. Scottish Water have been developing a sustainable development action plan, which includes a commitment to protect and manage our water resources and encourage their customers to use water more efficiently in homes and businesses. Once finalised, the intention is to publish annual updates on progress.

Telecommunications

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specify the cost and the installation timeframe for achieving installation of broadband in all Scottish exchanges.

Mr Jim Wallace: This would be a commercial matter for BT. We are, of course, committed to extending broadband connectivity across Scotland and our approach is subject to state aid regulations. Achieving pervasive, affordable broadband coverage is likely to involve a mix of technologies and hence our broadband strategy is technology and supplier neutral.

Telecommunications

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to award contracts for the installation of broadband in all Scottish exchanges and when this might happen.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have no such plans, since achieving pervasive, affordable broadband coverage in Scotland is likely to involve a mix of technologies, not just asymmetric digital subscriber line. Our broadband strategy is technology and supplier neutral and also subject to state aid regulations.

Telecommunications

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out an impact assessment that shows the effect of broadband availability and non-availability on (a) local economic growth and (b) local population movement from 2003-07 for each local telephone exchange area.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. Broadband does have the potential, particularly through e-business, to impact on local economic growth and on population retention. This is precisely why we have a broadband strategy and initiatives aiming to achieve pervasive, affordable broadband coverage across Scotland.

  The Executive will, of course, evaluate the effect of its polices in Scotland as part of its commitment to evidence-based policy.

Water Authorities

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether water services and provision are as closely tied to the aspirations of communities as when they were under local authority control and whether it has any plans to return the control of water services and provision to local authorities.

Ross Finnie: When the three former water authorities were set up in 1996, they inherited infrastructure which had been under funded for decades. By the end of the current investment period, some £4 billion will have been invested by Scottish Water and its predecessor authorities to help bring the water and wastewater infrastructure up to acceptable standards and to comply with the public health and environmental standards required by legislation. This is the biggest level of investment ever made in such services in Scotland.

  I would hope that in so doing, the current arrangements for provision of water and waste water services are closely tied to the aspirations of communities for clean water and a safe environment. In these circumstances, I can confirm that the Executive has no plans to return the control of water services and its provision to local authorities.

Young People

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the development of a sector skills council for young people.

Lewis Macdonald: Those who work with young people fall within the ambit of a number of options for sector skills councils currently under consideration. We are keen to secure the option which best supports the diverse professional groups working with young people.